Track roller assembly



Sept. 15, 1936. D. B. BAKER ET AL TRACK ROLLER ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 8,1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l m m n P 1936- D. B.- BAKER ET AL 2,054,532

TRACK ROLLER AS SEMBLY Filed Aug. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedSept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Oak Park, Ill., HarvesterCompany, Jersey assignors to International a corporation of NewApplication August 8, 1934, Serial No. 739,014

6 Claims.

The invention relates to an improved construction of track rollers andlubrication therefor. Such rollers are employed in track type tractorsand, as they are subject to severe load and shock, proper lubricationthereof is important to prevent wear and maintain and prolong theirperiod of usefulness.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved trackroller construction which lubricates itself in operation by gravityduring slow rotation thereof, and which automatically is supplemented bypressure for effective lubrication at high speed rotation of therollers.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in this art as thedisclosure is more fully made.

Briefly, these objects may be achieved by the form selected herein forpurposes of illustration, in which example a. stationary, round shaft isprovided, having opposite flat surfaces formed with radial passages fordistributing oil from an axial bore in the shaft. Carriers are mountedon the shaft, said carriers carrying the track roller. These carriersthrust against a flange on the stationary shaft between its ends. An oilreservoir is located between the adjacent ends of these carriers, saidcarriers including baffles providing cavities to pick up the oil fromthe bottom of the reservoir and elevate it to the top thereof, where itis received by a passage in the thrust flange to distribute it to theaxial bore in the stationary shaft. Thus, as the roller and carriersturn on the stationary shaft, the oil is caused to circulate by gravityat slow speed and to be augmented by pressure at high speed, as will susequently appear.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings:

Figure l isa perspective view of the improved roller, with parts brokenaway to illustrate the interior structure;

Figure 2 is a detail, side elevational view of the stationary trackroller shaft;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the assembly takenalong the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross. sectional view through the track rollershaft, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

Figure 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the trackroller assembly, showing a modified form of the oil circulating means;and,

Figure 6 is a vertical cross sectional view through this modified formtaken along the line 66 of Figure 5, looking in the indicated direction.a

stationary shaft I0 having its ends carried in an outer bracket I I andan inner bracket I2, said brackets being provided with holes I3 toreceive bolts for securely carrying these brackets and the shaft II) inthe track roller frame, not shown.

As shown best in Figures 2 and 4, the stationary, or non-rotatable shaftI0 is round and formed substantially centrally between its ends with anintegral, circular, upset thrust flange I4 notched out in the form ofthe invention shown in Figure 4, as at I5, to form a groove in saidflange I4. A radial passage or bore I6 leads from the groove I5 to anaxial bore I! in the shaft I0, which runs in opposite directions fromthe flange I I; in fact, in one direction it extends clear through tothe end of the shaft ID to a lubricator fitting I8 shown in Figure 1. Atopposite sides, the rounded surface of the shaft is formed to provideupwardly sloped flat surfaces I9, which extend lengthwise of the shaftand oppositely from the flange I4, as shown. Leading to these flatsurfaces I9 from the axial bore I! are radial oil passages 20.

On opposite sides of the flange I4, the shaft I0 rotatably carries anouter track roller carrier 2| and an inner similar carrier 22, saidcarriers thrusting endwise against the thrust flange I4, and at theirouterends being recessed to receive seals 23 surrounding theshaft I0.Surrounding these carriers and turning therewith on the shaft I0 is thetrack roller 24 held in place on these carriers by any suitable means,such for example as by the clamp rings 25. I

These carriersZI, 22 are hollow and divided into six lubricant holdingcavities or spaces 26 by six radial portions or bafiies 21. The numberof spaces and ,baffles could, ofcourse, be varied as desired. Further,these carriers at their inner ends adjacent the flange I I are formed toprovide an annular lubricant space 28, or oil reservoir, whichcommunicates with the adjacent ends of the baffle spaces 26. (It will beobserved that the outer ends of the carriers 2|, 22 are closed.

Each carrier-2 I, 22 has its hub portionsubstantially centrally betweenits ends provided adjacent the shaft I0 with an annular oil groove 29,which communicates, as shown in Figure 3, in each carrier with anannular ring of spaced, radial oil holes 30. There are six of such holesfor each carrier, one hole 30 communicating with each baffle space", asshown.

With the single exception ofthe groove I5 formed in the top of theflange I4, the description thus far made applies to the modificationshown in Figures 5 and 6, and accordingly the same reference charactersgiven to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, are also applied to the same partsin Figures 5 and 6. In the modification of Figures 5 and 6, the shaftflange l4 also has the radial bore IE, but, instead of a notch l5 tofeed oil thereto, there is provided a cup 3| having a hollow stem 32fitted into said bore 1 6 to mount the said cup, as shown. This cup 3|has a partition 33 to provide oppositely facing cup portions to receiveoil in the cup, regardless of the direction of rotation of the carrierand roller. Ports 34 in the cup communicate with the bore l6 through thehollow stem 32 in the manner shown. In both forms, oil grooves 35 areformed in the shaft l adjacent each side of the flange M.

In operation, suitable lubricant is forced through the lubricationfltting I8 and into the axial bore IT. The oil emerges from the bore 16,bores 20, grooves 29, and holes 30 into the annular 'reservoir 28, andfills the same, as well as the conmeeting spaces or cavities 26 betweenthe baffles 21 in the carriers 2|, 22. The hollow track roller assemblyis thus loaded with lubricant and is ready for operation, the oilcirculating in the manner now to be described.

bricant from the bottom of reservoir 28 and carry it to the top. As eachcavity 26 thus reaches the top position, the oil drainsby gravity fromthe holes 30 in the cavities. The oil also passes through the connectinggrooves 29 to the flat areas or surfaces 19, which serve to spread theoil laterally along the stationary shaft I0 and the bearing surfaces.Approximately of an inch side clearance is allowed in practice betweenthe carriers 2|, 22 and the thrust flange I4. This clearance togetherwith the oil grooves 35 in the shaft l0 insure complete lubrication ofthe thrust flange and its bearing surfaces.

When the tractor embodying this roller is operating in high speed, theroller 24 and its carriers turn rapidly on the stationary shaft l0 andthe lubricant tends to remain by centrifugal force in the outer area ofthe reservoir 28. In the form of Figures Ito 4, inclusive, the notch lin the flange M is in this area. Therefore, this notch traps the oil,and as it crowds thereinto a slight pressure builds up. Thus, theintercepted oil is forced downwardly under pressure through the bore 16in the flange l4 into the main oil lead I! and through the holes 20 ontothe flat areas I9 of the shaft Hi to be distributed along the shaftsbearing surface. Thus, the notch l5 acts as a pump under the conditionjust described.

In Figures 5 and 6, the modification of a cup is used in lieu of thenotch l5 heretofore described. The cup is open at both ends, in either'direction of rotation of the track roller. with its partition 33 is soformed as to cause the oil intercepted thereby at high speed turning ofthe roller to be crowded, thus building-up pressure positively tocirculate it through passages 34, l6, l1, and out passage 20 to bespread along theshaft ID by the flat surfaces H in the manner described.

From this it will be seen that thorough lubrication is assured at allspeeds of operation.

It is the intention to cover all such changes and modifications oftheillustrative examples herein disclosed which do not depart from thescope of the invention-as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is: w

1. A track roller assembly comprising a station- The cup ary round shafthaving a thrust flange intermediate its ends and flattened oil spreadingsurfaces at its opposite sides, a carrier on the shaft at each side ofsaid flange, a track roller on the carriers and turnable therewith, saidcarriers formed with oil receiving cavities, an oil reservoir betweenthe carriers communicating with said cavites, means to pass oil from thecavities to the flattened oil spreading surfaces to be distributed tothe bearing and thrust surfaces by gravity when the roller turns slowly,and means in the flange to trap oil from the reservoir and pass it underpressure to the oil spreading surfaces when the roller turns rapidly.

2. A track roller assembly comprising a stationary round shaft having athrust flange intermediate its ends and flattened oil spreading surfacesat its opposite sides, a carrier on the shaft at each side of saidflange, a track roller on the carriers and turnable therewith, saidcarriers formed with oil receiving cavities, an oil reservoir betweenthe carriers communicating with said cavities, means to pass oil fromthe cavities to the flattened oil spreading surfaces to be distributedto the bearing and thrust surfaces by gravity when the roller turnsslowly, and means on the flange to trap oil from the reservoir and passit under pressure to the oil spreading surfaces when the roller turnsrapidly. i

3. A track roller assembly comprising a stationary round shaft having athrust flange intermediate its ends and flattened oil spreading surfacesat its opposite sides, a carrier on the shaft at each side of saidflange, a track roller on the carriers and turnable therewith, saidcarriers formed with oil receiving cavities,,an oil reservoir betweenthe carriers communicating with said cavities, means to pass oil fromthe cavities to the flattened oil spreading surfaces to be distributedto the bearing and thrust surfaces by gravity when the roller turnsslowly, a notch in the top part of the flange to trap oil from thereservoir when the roller turns rapidly, and means comprising passagesin the flange and shaft for distributing the oil under pressure fromsaid notch to the oil spreading surfaces.

4. A track roller assembly comprising a stationary round shaft having a.thrust flange intermediate its ends and flattened oil spreading surfacesat its opposite sides, a carrier on the shaft at each side of saidflange, a track roller on the carriers and turnable therewith, saidcarriers formed with oil receiving cavities an oil reservoir between thecarriers communicating with said cavities, means to pass oil from thecavities to the flattened oil spreading surfaces to be distributed tothe bearing and thrust surfaces by gravity when the roller turns slowly,a cup mounted in the top part of said flange to trap oil from thereservoir when the roller turns rapidly, and means comprising a bore inthe flange and passages in the shaft for leading the oil under pressurefrom said cup to the oil spreading surfaces.

5. A track roller assembly comprising a horizontal shaft flxed againstrotation and carrying a stationary thrust flange between its ends,carrier sleeves rotatably mounted on the shaft on opposite sides of theflange, said sleeves at their inner ends thrusting against said flange,a track roller mounted on the carrier sleeves to turn therewith, thecarrier sleeves being hollow and formed with spaced substantially radialbaffles to form 011 containing cavities, said baffles and carriersleeves being cut away at their inner ends to provide an'annular oilreservoir adjacent and surrounding the thrust flange, means forcirculating oil to the bearing surfaces of the shaft from the saidcavities at slow speed turning of the carrier sleeves and roller, andmeans immovably provided on the upper part of the thrust flange withinsaid annular oil reservoir for receiving the oil and pumping it underpressure through passages formed in the flange and shaft to the bearingsurfaces of the shaft when the carrier sleeves and roller turn at highspeed.

6. A track roller assembly comprising a horizontal shaft fixed againstrotation andcarrying a stationary thrust flange between its ends,carrier sleeves rotatably mounted on the shaft on oposite sides of theflange, said sleeves at their inner ends thrusting against said flange,a track roller mounted on the carrier sleeves to turn therewith, thecarrier sleeves being hollow and formed with spaced substantially radialbellies to form oil containing cavities, said baflles and carriersleeves being cut away at their inner ends to provide an annular oilreservoir adjacent and surrounding'the thrust flange, means forcirculating oil to the bearing surfaces of the shaft from the saidcavities at slow speed turning of the carrier sleeves and roller, andmeans immovably provided on the upper part of the thrust flange withinsaid annular oil reservoir for receiving the oil and pumping it underpressure through passages formed in the flange and shaft to the bearingsurfaces of the shaft when the carrier sleeves and roller turn at highspeed, said immovable means comprising an oil catching scupper cup openin two directions to catch oil either during clockwise orcounterclockwise rotation of the carrier sleeves and roller.

DAVID B. BAKER. CLIFFORD R. ROGERS.

